What is GPRS?

Whilst GSM (2G) networks are excellent for voice calls, they are limited when it comes to sending and receiving data. GSM phones use a technology called CSD (Circuit Switched Data) to transfer data. CSD requires the phone to make a special connection to the network before it can transfer data (like making a voice call) which can take up to 30 seconds. Once connected, the data is sent or received and the user is billed for the time spent online. Data transfer is relatively slow: 14.4 kbps (kilobits per second) for GSM 1800 networks (Orange and T-Mobile) and 9.6 kbps for GSM 900 networks (Vodafone and O2).

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is a method of enhancing 2G phones to enable them to send and receive data more rapidly. With a GPRS connection, the phone is "always on" and can transfer data immediately, and at higher speeds: typically 32 - 48 kbps. An additional benefit is that data can be transferred at the same time as making a voice call. GPRS is now available on most new phones.

GPRS is part of a series of technologies that are designed to move 2G networks closer to the performance of 3G networks. The key characteristic of a 3G network is its ability to transfer large amounts of data at high speed (up to 2 Mbps), enabling applications like video calling, video downloads, web browsing, email, etc. By increasing the speed of a 2G network, some of these applications become possible, e.g. web browsing and sending or receiving emails with large attachments. These technologies are called 2.5G and include enhancements to the CSD technology, such as HSCSD and EDGE.

GPRS Class Types

The class of a GPRS phone determines the speed at which data can be transferred. Technically the class refers to the number of timeslots available for upload (sending data from the phone) or download (receiving data from the network). The timeslots used for data are in addition to the slot that is reserved for voice calls. These timeslots are available simultaneously, so the greater the number of slots, the faster the data transfer speed. Because GPRS transmits data in packets, the timeslots are not in use all the time, but are shared amongst all users of the network. That increases the overall data capacity of the network, and it also means that you are billed for the quantity of data transmitted, not the time that you are online. It may mean that during busy times, data transfer rates slow down, because the network will give priority to voice calls.

The most common GPRS classes in use are as follows:

GPRS Class

Slots

Max data transfer speed

Class 2

3

8 - 12 kbps upload / 16 - 24 kbps download

Class 4

4

8 - 12 kbps upload / 24 - 36 kbps download

Class 6

4

24 - 36 kbps upload / 24 - 36 kbps download

Class 8

5

8 - 12 kbps upload / 32 - 40 kbps download

Class 10

5

16 - 24 kbps upload / 32 - 48 kbps download

Class 12

5

32 - 48 kbps upload / 32 - 48 kbps download

Generally speaking, the higher the GPRS class, the faster the data transfer rates.

HSCSD

HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) enables data to be transferred more rapidly than the standard GSM (Circuit Switched Data) system by using multiple channels. The maximum number of timeslots that can be used is four, giving a maximum data transfer rate of 57.6 kbps (or 38.4 kbps on a GSM 900 network). HSCSD is more expensive to use than GPRS, because all four slots are used simultaneously - it does not transmit data in packets. Because of this, HSCSD is not as popular as GPRS and is being replaced by EDGE.

EDGE

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) or EGPRS provides data transfer rates significantly faster than GPRS or HSCSD. EDGE increases the speed of each timeslot to 48 kbps and allows the use of up to 8 timeslots, giving a maximum data transfer rate of 384 kbps. In places where an EDGE network is not available, GPRS will automatically be used instead. EDGE offers the best that can be achieved with a 2.5G network, and will eventually be replaced by 3G.

User comments

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Comment by Yakubpasha
from India
on 12th Oct 2014
My mobile nokia 114 first 8 month super speed gprs and this moment low
and not open apps 1.facebook 2.youtube 3.intarnet what is tha
problam

Comment by Vivek narain
from India
on 27th Aug 2014
What is the actual d/l speed of nokia c1-01,official site says 177.6
kbits other sites say 48kbits

Comment by tony crabb
from uk
on 21st Aug 2014
very good explaination especially for non technical people like
me

Comment by ajay sharma
from india
on 24th Jun 2014
It is a very helpfull guide for a technical knowledge about gprs

Comment by Ahmad khalid Amin
from Afghanistan
on 13th May 2014
Really understable and informative topics

Comment by @ActonNoel
from Trinidad
on 17th Feb 2014
My GPRS runs about 45 to 80kbps my phone on GPRS will do 144kbps but i
dont get that, but some parts of the world using multplie gprs antenas
can give you over 300 kbps. The 3g HSPA here runs about 750 kbps to
1600 kbps my phone can handle 7Mbps.

Comment by Ashish Verma
from India
on 27th Dec 2013
It was very much understandable

Comment by David Evans
from UK
on 9th Dec 2013
Very informative and well written for the layman to understand

Comment by Saroj
from Nepal
on 21st Nov 2013
Good inforamtive article.

Comment by b s ghasil
from india
on 17th Nov 2013
It is a very helpfull guide for a technical person who want to gain
knowledge about gprs

Comment by Amenkuh Atnafe
from Ethiopia
on 5th Nov 2013
It is very nice guid about Gprs

Comment by Stuart Addy
from England
on 20th Oct 2013
Has anyone else bought a smart phone for payg to find it is as much good
as a chocolate fireguard. Metoo. The sales girl set it up and after
reading the meagre handbook, I turned it on to try it only to find it
had gobbled the 20 pounds of credit I had to pt in it.Countless
phone calls to Oxxxxx were ignored or treat with disdain. I evEN GOT
THE IMPRESSION THEY WERE TREATING IT WITH AN "IT'S THE NUTTER
AGAIN" ATTITUDE. I finally compromised by using it at home with my BT
hub and buying against my better judgement a glorifid Pay Monthly
£10Top up with the ludicrous name DOLPHIN,it worked ok while I was
away in Summer bUT NOW it has just eaten another £7 in the name of
GPRS. I give in. Any Advice?

Comment by Lucille from TRinidad & Tobago on 13th
Oct 2012
What would limit a device to operate on GPRS - but not on EDGE or vice
versa?

Comment by Roshan from India on 16th Sep 2012
V.good info. I would like to add here that mobile co. Should mention
slot and maximum speed that can b achieved while giving edge info on
their sites.

Comment by Asaha Desmond from Cameroon on 5th
Sep 2012
Thanks a million for this educative piece of work you guys have left
here, it really helped me a lot. I had no idea about GPRS(General Packet
Radio Service) but i felt enlightened after i read through this documentation.

Comment by John Anderson from Scotland on 24th
Aug 2012
As 3G is not available over most of rural Scotland, I phoned Apple to
ask if their iPhone 4S is able to use GPRS. Unfortunately their advisor
had not heard of GPRS and could not answer my query. Can anyone else?

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
24th Aug 2012
Yes, the iPhone 4S is capable of receiving data via EDGE, so it will
still send and receive data on a 2G network.

Comment by Harry Whitecross from United States on
14th Jul 2012
This reinforces what I thought I remembered about GPRS. My carrier AT&T
has severe network problems where I live, so it never seem to keep EDGE
up and running, or uniform tower coverage whilst driving on the highway.
They have not done too well here at all. Data rates in their Jot Spots
can drop to 8 kbps at times. The Verizon wifi at my rooms has given
over 48Mbps. How does that rate on the internation market?

Comment by Tao from China on 5th Jul 2012
Very useful information for me.
Does this mean that the Max EDGE (class 12) speed can be up to 48 *
5 kbps?

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
5th Jul 2012
EDGE Class 12 gives you 4 download slots and 4 upload slots, with a
maximum of 5 active slots. So the maximum download speed is 48 * 4 kbps
= 192kbps. There is a theoretical maximum of 236.8 kbps under optimum
conditions, but in real world conditions, the actual speed achieved
may be less than 192 kbps.

Comment by JIM from ENGLAND on 6th May 2012
ON MY MOBILE PHONE ,IF I PRESS "BACK" A COUPLE OF TIMES I GET A MESSAGE
WHICH SAYS "ESTABLISHING A GPRS LINK" DOES THIS INCUR A CHARGE IF I
ENGAGE IT.

Comment by Www.diolt.com from Pak on 23rd Apr
2012
This is really great information. Thanks to sharing with us..

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
23rd Apr 2012
Thank you, but please don't write any more "thank you" comments,
as they are boring for visitors!!

Comment by K.Netha from Sri lanka on 17th Apr
2012
Thanks you very much for your clear explanation.

Comment by deepakhs from india on 25th Mar 2012
good basic explaination

Comment by amin from iran on 3rd Mar 2012
"In 2G systems, GPRS provides data rates of 56–114 kbit/second".(Wikipedia)
not 32-48 kbps as you said

thanks

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
5th Mar 2012
Our article was written in 2003 and we said "typically." It
is now possible to find GPRS classes higher than 12, and these are faster
- typically up to 60kbps. The theoretical faster speeds referred to
in the Wikipedia article are not in regular use. Read the Wikipedia
article more carefully.

Comment by Srikanth reddy from India on 26th Feb
2012
What is most speed class12 or class 32. Please answer

Reply by akin from United Kingdom on
20th Apr 2012
Your question is why is most speed between class 12 and 32? It usually
depends on the architecture of phone,especially the processor or chip
used in relation to power management.